Best Of Photo Accessories [Best Of]
We have noticed a big crossover between Apple users and camera geeks. And while the iPhone’s own camera continues to get better and better, your old SLR still has some life in it yet. And whatever you shoot with, there are accessories that can perk up your interest or let you catch an otherwise-impossible shot. These are the best of them.
Best Double-Duty Gadget
If you have to carry a charging cable for your iPhone anyway, why not make it a cable that doubles as a tripod? Stiff wires in the rubber legs let you perch the iPhone on any surface, great for snapping pictures or watching movies.
Best Flash Accessory
Universal Flash Filter Kit — $30
These 20 colored filter gels with little ears and a thick rubber band will fit onto any flash, and can even be put over a camera lens for a dreamy analog Insta-effect. The kit contains color-correction gels for balancing different light sources as well as wild colors for special effects.
Best iPhone Camera Case
This case keeps popping up on our best-of lists because it packs in features whilst still looking great. A magnetic lens-holder, a shutter button, strap lugs and a tripod screw join a self-portrait mirror in this retro-styled case.
Best External Viewfinder
Daylight Viewfinder for iPhone — $30
Shooting with the iPhone is great. Looking at an LCD screen in sunlight isn’t. The Daylight Viewfinder sucks onto the iPhone’s screen and magnifies a shrunken version of the camera-feed while cutting out the light, and it appears that the iPhone’s retina display still has enough resolution for good results.
Best Lens
Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35 — $400
There are surely much higher quality lenses in the world, but few that are as fun — or fit as many cameras — as the Lensbaby Composer Pro with Sweet 35 Optic. The adjustable sharp spot can be locked in place, and the click-stop apertures make it shrink and grow. And it works with all these cameras:
Canon EF, Nikon, Sony Alpha / Minolta Maxxum, Pentax K / Samsung GX / Sigma, Olympus Four Thirds, Samsung NX, Sony NEX, Micro Four Thirds
Best iPhone Lens
For simplicity and functionality, the Olloclip is hard to beat. Clip it onto the corner of your iPhone and enjoy a wide-angle converter. Flip it over for fisheye and unscrew the top of the wide-angle for macro. Think that the fisheye is a gimmick? Try it next time you shoot video to cure the iPhone’s picture-steadying crop.
Best Novelty Widget
The Dot is a curved mirror that collects light from a 360˚ view and funnels it into the iPhone’s lens. Companion software then unfurls the result and offers up a sweet panorama. Just be careful not to get yourself in shot.
Best Tripod Accessory
A former Kickstarter superstar, the Glif is a simple chunk of plastic that acts as an iPhone stand in any orientation, and has a tripod screw ready for mating to any standard support. Combined with the accessory Ligature, you have pretty much anything you need to keep the iPhone steady.
Best Tripod
The original and still the best bendy tripod out there. Jointed legs are strong enough to support even biggish compact cameras, and can be wrapped around tree, chairs and anything else, making the Gorillapod just about the most versatile camera support around. Need something a little tougher? Joby has expanded the Gorillapod line into a whole family
